Kelly handling device



Dec. 26, 1950 w. A. PITTS KELLY HANDLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 INVENTOR.

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KELLY HANDLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 23, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I o l 1 l ////o' /77 A. P1775 v INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

The invention relates to kelly handling devices, and has for its object to provide a device of this kind, located adjacent one side of the derrick structure, and provided with means whereby the kelly may be intermittently received and stored in the handling device as drill string sections are run in or pulled, thereby obviating the present practice of storing the kelly in a rat hole, adjacent one side of the rotary table where it is in the way of operators on the derrick platform, thereby giving the workmen a clear plat form in connecting and disconnecting drill string sections.

A further object is to provide a kelly receiving trackway pivotally mounted for movement in a vertical plane to one sideoi a derrick and provided with a carriage for the reception and guidance of the lower end of the kelly towards the outer end of the trackway and latching means for the trackway for holding the trac'kway in upward and inward inclined position when the full weight of the kelly is received thereon.

A further object is to provide a fluid actuated check member between the trackway and the base, and between the pivotal point of the trackway and the derrick for controlling the pivotal action of the trackway.

A further object is to provide the trackway carriage with a pivoted sleeve adapted to receive therein the lower end of the kelly when in a vertical position within the derrick structure, and to incline'upwardly and inwardly as the kelly is lowered, and to move towards the outer end of the track as the kelly approaches the inclination of the track and rests thereon.

A further object is to provide the sleeve with means for maintaining the same upright for the reception of the lower end of the kelly when the sleeve is adjacent the inner end of the trackway.

With the above and other obiects in view, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In t d a n s:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the handling device showing a part of the derrick and the kelly stored in the handling device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view through the outer end of the handling device showing the latching means.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view in perspective of the carriage and portion of the trackway.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the carriage and a portion of the trackway showing the lower end of the kelly in the sleeve.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the outer end of the trackway showing the carriage in the position it assumes at the outer end of the trackway.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates a conventional form of derrick structure and 2 the platform. Heretofore kellys which are of considerable length have been stored in rat holes to one side of the rotary table, and the present device provides storage for the kelly to one side of the derrick out of the way of operators in running in additional string sections, or pulling the drill string.

Disposed to one side of the derrick l is a horizontal frame 3, which may rest on the ground, and extending upwardly from the frame at a point spaced from its ends is an adiustable samson post 4, on the upper end of which is pivoted at 5 the tiltable 'kelly receiving trackway 5. The inner end To of the trackway extends into the derrick structure and terminates spaced from the vertical center of the derrick, and at a substantial elevation above the platform 2, so workmen can easily walk under the same. The kelly receiving trackway 6 is formed from spaced channels '1 connected together by cross brackets 8. Secured within the channels I in engagement with their lower flanges 53 are wooden bars It on which the carriage ll slides. The carriage ll comprises side bars 12, the inner ends of which are provided with guide rollers 53 and slide shoes M, which shoes slide on the wooden bars 48. The other ends of the side bars l2 have rockable connections on the trunnions 15 formed integral with the kelly receiving sleeve l5, and the trunnions l5 have formed, integral therewith arcuate slide members I? which make a partial rotation as the carriage moves from the inner end of the trackway to the outer end thereof. The upper end of the sleeve I6 is flared as shown at It to receive the lower end l9 of the kelly 25 so that the threaded pin 2! of the kelly rests in the bot.- tom of the sleeve l6 as shown in Figure 4:.

To maintain the engagement between the lower end of the kelly and the carriage, the sleeve 15 is provided with oppositely disposed leaf springs 22 which extend through vertical slots 23 in the sleeveand frictionally engage the kelly, ther ore i will be seen that. as he out and of the kelly and carriage move from the inner end of the trackway to the outer end of the trackway, as shown in dotted and full lines in Figure 1, this interengagement will be maintained.

Extending upwardly from the frame 3 at its outer ends are spaced members 24 having adjustably mounted therein a limit block 25, which limits the downward swing of the outer end of the trackway. In view of the fact that the upper swivel end of the kelly is heavier than its outer end, when at rest on the trackway, latching means i provided between the limit block and the outer end of the trackway. The latching means comprises a bumper 28 slidab-ly mounted in a bearing 21' carried by the trackway, and this bumper is in the path of the end 28 of the sleeve l5. Disposed within the trackway around a latching shaft 29, carried by the bumper 26. is an expansion spring 3i! which normally forces the bumper 25 and latching shaft 29 inwardly to inoperative position. When the kelly approaches the outer end of the trackway, the trackway swings downwardly into the limit block, and the weight of the kelly against the bum er 2S forces the latching shaft 29 into the aperture 3i of the limit block, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The oscillation of the trackway is contro led in its upward and downward mov m nt by a fluid controlled snubbing dev ce 32, which may be of any construction desired, however it is provided with check v lves 33 which control its speed of operation. This fluid controll d device may be con rolled from any position desired.

At the starting of o eration, the tra kway s in the dotted line po ition. shown in Fimire with the sleeve i5 latched in vertical po ition the latch spring 35 cooperatin wi h the rest bracket 35 carried by the trackwav. and at w ich time the carriage is in inner position. The lower end 18 of the kelly is inserted in the sleeve I and then the k l y is lowered towards the full line position. This will unlatch the carriage at 34, and it will move outwardly in the trackway, assuming the various dotted line positions shown in Figure 1, until it passes the pivotal position 5 and finally comes to rest in a longitudinal position on the trackway, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. It will be noted that the latching device 29 will maintain the trackway in the full line posit on, overcoming the heavier weight at the i ner end of the kelly, involving the swivel 35. When it is again desired to use the kelly, the s ivel hook 31 is connected to the bail 38 of the kelly and the kelly is raised, and during this rais ng operation the carriage within the trackway will move inwardly on the trackway, assuming the various dotted line positions shown in Figure 1, until the carriage passes the pivotal point 5 of the trackway, thereby overbalancing the trackway in favor of its inner end against the fluid controlled device 32 until the inner end of the trackway rests on the adjustable headache post 39, and at which time the trackway is in a horizontal position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, with the sleeve IS in upright position for the next operation, however the fluid controlled device 32 will allow the inner end of the trackway to assume the full line position shown in Figure 1, out of the way of the workmen on the derrick platform 2, if desired.

From the above it will be seen that a handling device is rovided for kellys, which is simple in construction, positive in its operation and one which will eliminate the storing of the kelly in the conventional rat hole now used, consequently a free platform is provided for the operations of workmen.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

l. A handling device adapted to be disposed adjacent a derrick structure and to receive thereon a kelly and move said kelly away from the center of the derrick and to the side of the derrick, said device comprising a hinged rockable platform having one of its ends extending into the derrick and its outer end extending away from the side of the derrick, said platform being mounted for rockable movement in a vertical longitudinal plane, a traveller carriage within said platform and adapted to move from end to end of said platform across its hinged point, a kelly end receiving sleeve carried by said carriage and hingedly mounted thereon, means for rockably moving said platform on it hinged point in a vertical longitudinal plane whereby said carriage is moved to the outer end of the platform and the kelly deposited on the platform.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including means for latching the outer end of the platform in down position after the kelly has been deposited on the platform.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a limit block ad acent the outer end of the platform when in down position. a latch carried by the end of the platform, a keeper carried by the limit block and with which the latch cooperates, said latch being operated by the engagement therewith of the carriage when in outer position.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a limit block at the outer end of the platform for limiting the downward movement of the outer endof the platform, a latch for latching the outer end of the platform and the limit block, said latch being operated by the engagement therewith of the carriage when it reaches the outer end portion of the platform.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 comprising a plunger latch member carried by the outer end of the platform in the path of the carriage, said plunger latch being normally forced inwardly and projected outwardly by the engagement therewith of the carriage, a limit block for limiting the downward swing of the outer end of the platform, said plunger latch cooperating with keeper means carried by the limit block. 7

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a fluid controlled means cooperating with the under side of the inner end of the platform and forming means to govern the oscillation of the platform at various positions of the kelly on the platform.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 including means carried by the kelly end receiving sleeve of the carriage for frictionally holding the carriage to the kelly end as the carriage traverses the platform.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve has its outer end flared, springs carried by opposite sides of the sleeve and extending through openings in the sleeve and adapted to frictionally grip a kelly end within the sleeve.

9. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carriage sleeve is provided with means for maintaining the same upright when it reaches the inner end of the platform.

10. A device as set forthin claim 1 wherein the platform is formed by opposed channeled members, said carriage being longitudinally movable in said channeled members.

11. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carriage comprises side bars, said sleeve being pivotally mounted in one of the ends of each of said side bars, arcuate slide members carried by opposite sides of the sleeve and rockable with the sleeve, said side bars having'bifurcated ends in which the cam members are mounted, the other ends of said bars being slidably supported through the medium of slide shoes and anti-fric- 6 tional rollers having their axes vertically disposed.

WILLIAM A. PITTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,113,270 Hall et a1 Apr. 5, 1938 ,425,292 McCoy Aug. 12, 1947 2,448,324 Pool Aug. 31, 1948 

